Stove top



Jul 8, 1924. 1,500,866

r I. 1.. FRANKEM STOVE TOP Filed Aug. 13, 1923 z/ I @4 44 x M w i//z m Ema/M31. U 1 v IsaacLFmnkem L/ Patented July 8, 1924.

ISAAC L. FRANKEM, O-F INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

STOVE TOP.

Application filed August 13, 19%8. Serial No. 657,123.

To all whom it ay concern:

Be it known that 'L'lsano L. FRANKEM, a citizen of the United States residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stove Tops, of which the following isa specification.

My said invention relates to a reversible sectional stove top specially intended for ranges such as are used in hotels and other places where a hot fire must be kept up for long periods of time. t is an object of the invention to provide a structure of such character that the warping of the top shall be reduced to a minimum..

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereofand on which similar reference characters indicate similar parts,

Figure 1 is a plan showing part of a stove p,

Figure 2, a section on line of Figure 1, and s Figure 3, a plan on a smaller scale showing the entire stove top.

In the drawings reference character 10 indicates the fixed outer part of the top, or top rim of a stove or range. this being of conventional design. The stove has an upper opening as usual which is nearly co-extensive with the top and the opening over the fire-box is closed by a pair of plates 11 and 12. The last mentioned opening is rectangular and the plates 11 and 12 are each adapted to cover substantially half the opening and have straight edges across the ends at 18. A ledge 14 extends around the opening below the level of the upper surface of the stove top and this ledge may be continuous or made up of separate partsor spaced lugs, as preferred. The outer edges of the plates are cut away from their upper and under faces to form a rib 15 which is adapted to extend over the ledge 14 and permit the upper face of the plates to remain substantially on a level with the upper face of the top rim 10 regardless of which side is uppermost. The side edges of the plates as constructed do not run parallel with the stove top opening nor with each other. The side edges are so formed as to contact near the middle with the top rim 10 above the ledge L1 as indicated at 16 but slope away from this high point towards the corners 17 so that when positioned on the stove there is a small space between the corners of the plate (or its rib 15) and the inner top edge of the top rim 10. The inner edges of the plates between the fuel opening and their respective ends are cut on a slant in such manner that the plates may be in contact at 18 while at 19 adjacent the fuel opening there is considerable space between them. Around the arcs of the fuel opening there is a rib 20 similar to that on the outer edges of the plates for supporting a covering 21 which is of conventional design.

When constructed in the manner shown one effect of the heat is to cause the plates 11 and 12 to draw together midway their length thereby bringing their outer edges 1 from 17 to 17 (or between corners) more or less nearly into a straight line and causing their inner edges between the fuel opening and their respective ends to'approach paral-' lel relation. I

The substitution of separate plates of narrow construction and their accommodation to the expansion caused by the intense heat over the fire-box, in place of the tops heretofore used which fit closely between the opposite sides 22 of the outer part of the stove top and lie snugly against each other, insures that the plates will always lie on the ledge 14 indicated in dotted lines and will not be forced up by expansion or warping ofsaid ledge and interfere with the convenient manipulation of cooking utensils on the stove or check the draft as is commonly the case with the old style tops.

By forming the plates as above set forth it will be seen that whenever they show any tendency to become warped in a vertical sense they may be turned over so that the effect of the heat will be to warp them in the opposite direction. To keep the top of the stove level it is preferable to reverse the plates at reasonably short intervals of time and in turning them plate 12 may be positioned at the front of the stove in the place now occupied by plate 11 and vice versa.

For covering that part of the opening not over the fire-box a plurality of narrow plates 23 are used. These plates are rectangular in form and each plate has a rib 2 1 on its outer sides and ends for engaging a ledge on the top rim substantially as shown on plates 11 and 12 (Fig. 1).

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made in the device without departing from the spirit of the invention and therefore I do not limit myself to what is shown in the drawings and described in the specification but only as indicated in the appended claims.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In combination a stove top having a rectangular opening over the fuel chamber, a ledge about the opening below the upper level of the stove top, a pair of reversible plates adapted to rest on the ledge and cover the rectangular opening over the fuel chamber, said plates being reduced in width approximately midway of their length to form a common fuel opening and being inclined toward each other at the ends so as to permi't them to be straightened under the in fluence of heat without rising from said ledge, substantially as set forth.

*2. In combination, a stove top having a rectangular opening over the fuel chamber, a ledge about the opening below the upper level of the stove top, a pair of reversible plates adapted to rest on the ledge and cover the rectangular opening over the fuel chamher so that the plates and the upper surface of the top are on a common level, said plates being cut away to form a common fuel opening and being inclined toward each other at the ends so as to permit them to be straightened under the influence of heat without rising from said ledge, substantially as set forth.

-3. A stove top having an opening over the fuel chamber, a plurality of plates for covering said opening, a rib onthe outer sides and ends of said plates integral therewith for engaging an inner ledge about the opening in the top frame, a fuel opening between two of said plates over the fuel chamber the plates adjacent the fuel opening having their sides formed so as to incline their ends to- Ward each other, and a rib around the fuel opening integral with the respective plates, substantially as set forth.

4. A stove having an opening in its top, a pair of plates closing said opening, said plates being reduced in width at the middle to form a common fuel opening and being spaced apart adjacent the opening and inclined toward each other at the ends whereby they may straighten under the influence of heat, substantially as set forth.

5. A stove having an opening over the fuel chamber, a ledge below the level of the top, a closure for said opening supported by said ledge comprising separate plates reduced in width approximately midway of their length to provide a common fuel opening the outer sides of said plates closely approaching the top opposite the fuel opening and gradually diverging therefrom toward their ends, substantially as set forth.

6. A stove having an opening over the fuel chamber, a ledge below the level of the top, and a closure for said opening supported by said ledge comprising separate plates reduced in width approximately midway of their length to provide a common fuel opening the inner sides of said plates being spaced apart adjacent the fuel opening and gradually converging toward the outer ends of the plates, substantially as set forth.

7. A stove having an opening over the fuel chamber, a ledge below the level of the opening, and a closure for said opening supported by said ledge comprising parallel plates slightly bowed to separate them from each other at the middle and from the stove top at their ends when cold, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal at Indianapolis, Indiana, this 6th day of August, A. D. nineteen hundred and twenty-three.

ISAAC L. FRANKEM. [1 s.

Witnesses:

M. L. SHULER, O. S. BOLING. 

